Category Archives: NFL Special Teams

The New England Patriots like to talk about doing your job in all three phases, but multiple special teams breakdowns led to their loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. We made Chuck Zodda flip a coin, so here’s the breakdown on how the Eagles punt block exploited Patriots protection scheme. With only seconds remaining in the first half,…

Longer extra points have been a major storyline throughout the 2015 season, with what had once been a formality now becoming a moment of tension for many teams. In recent weeks, Seattle Seahawks kicker Steven Hauschka has struggled on the longer attempt, missing two extra points in Week 11, and one in Week 12. Chuck…

Kickers are a streaky bunch, with even the best being prone to stretches of uncertain accuracy. These rough patches can last for a single game, multiple weeks, or even an entire year. However, Stephen Gostkowski of the New England Patriots has been as predictable and reliable as any kicker in the game, enjoying accuracy above…

Some weeks, finding interesting topics can be a challenge. Week 12 of the 2015 NFL season was not one of them. The Cleveland Browns submitted arguably the worst two-minute drill in NFL history, and capped it off with a blocked field goal that was returned for the game-winning touchdown by the Baltimore Ravens. Chuck Zodda…

The New York Jets tried to use new acquisition Percy Harvin to execute a spectacular special teams play: a lateral to a hidden player in the end zone on a kickoff return. But, being the Jets, the only thing spectacular was the failure. The New York Jets made a splash two weeks ago, acquiring wide…

The Cincinnati Bengals Cedric Peerman is a kickoff wrecking ball and coverage extraordinaire. Celebrating touchdowns and big returns on special teams is easy because of how visible they are. More difficult is seeing how a coverage unit works together to snuff out returns most of the time. When Chuck Zodda reviews the film, occasionally one…

The squib kick is the least majestic of all kicks. It does not travel as high and long as the traditional kickoff. It does not bounce and flutter beautifully like the onside kick. It does not split the uprights like a field goal. But it does have a purpose – to keep the ball away…

Punt return units typically employ one of two general strategies – devote resources to an all-out block, or set up for a return. Facing the New York Giants in Week 10, the New England Patriots appeared to be bringing pressure on the Giants punt unit. But, as Chuck Zodda shows us, returner Danny Amendola wasn’t…

Wall returns are relatively common in the NFL, with the punt return team setting up a wall of blockers for its returner in an effort to clear a path down one side of the field. Chuck Zodda looks at how the Atlanta Falcons inside wall return ended with an interesting twist against the San Francisco 49ers. With…

Chuck Zodda examined the impact that longer extra points had on NFL kickers after Week 4, with the data showing an improvement over his pre-season prediction. Here is the data on extra points at the halfway mark, after Week 8 of the NFL season. By now, all football fans are aware that the NFL pushed…

Much has been made of the supposed plight of the kicker, with a number of pundits proclaiming a kicking crisis in the NFL. At the halfway point of the 2015 season, Chuck Zodda digs into the statistics to see if there is any merit to those concerns. Kickers were in crisis. That was the talking…

The New York Jets traveled to Foxboro looking to take down the New England Patriots and move into first-place in the AFC East. Down by seven with less than a minute left, the Jets turned to an onside kick in an attempt to gain one last possession. Chuck Zodda breaks down how they successfully recovered…

The New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts have underperformed expectations this season and needed the win on Sunday. Locked in a 0-0 game midway through the 1st quarter, the Saints turned to the bane of the Indianapolis season in recent weeks – special teams. For the second week in a row, the Colts were undone…

It has been a busy season for special teams. There have been blocked punts, punters scrambling to complete passes – even plays that defy all explanation. Today, Chuck Zodda breaks down a textbook fake punt and how it helped lead the Detroit Lions to victory over the Chicago Bears. When you’re 0-5 and down by…

The matchup between the Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots last night saw more of Pat McAfee’s brilliance in the punting game. So Chuck Zodda was stunned when the Colts turned to a trick play on a fake punt instead of playing to win the field position game, and went to the film to see…

It has been a busy season for special teams. Fake punts, exciting returns, and now a Saints blocked punt. Chuck Zodda looks at how the New Orleans Saints put an early touchdown on the board in a play reminiscent of Steve Gleason’s magical block in 2006. The New Orleans Saints have had little to cheer…